20041014028189A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206B · Eutaw, AL · October 14, 2004

Date: October 14, 2004 · 09:30 local
Place: Eutaw, AL
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: YW6G
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N300HT
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL05CA003
Reported as: Bell 206B
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 31,000 total6,000 in this make and model300 in the last 90 days

N300HTRegistration cancelled Aug 12, 2013 · Bell 206BS/N 2083 · Built 1976 Airframe modelBell 206B Engine modelAllison 250 SER 317HPTurbo-shaft

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On October 14, 2004, approximately 10:00 a.m. central daylight time, a Bell 206B, N300HT, collided with trees during an aerial application flight in Eutaw, Alabama. Mr. Darrel jean ward was the commercial pilot conducting the operation with no flight plan filed in visual meteorological conditions. The helicopter was refueling for 10-15 minute flights from a fueling truck, and the pilot was refueling the helicopter using the fuel gauges on the helicopter since the fueling truck did not have a fuel counter to guage fuel flow. The pilot departed to disperse chemicals uncertain as to the amount of fuel on board. Shortly thereafter the aircraft lost power and crashed in trees. Subsequent run-up of the aircraft engine was successful with normal indications at 65% power for five minutes.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON OCTOBER 14, 2004, APPROXIMATELY 10:00 A.M. CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206B, N300HT, COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT IN EUTAW, ALABAMA. MR. DARREL JEAN WARD WAS THE COMMERCIAL PILOT CONDUCTING THE OPERATION WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE HELICOPTER WAS REFUELING FOR 10-15 MINUTE FLIGHTS FROM A FUELING TRUCK, AND THE PILOT WAS REFUELING THE HELICOPTER USING THE FUEL GAUGES ON THE HELICOPTER SINCE THE FUELING TRUCK DID NOT HAVE A FUEL COUNTER TO GUAGE FUEL FLOW. THE PILOT DEPARTED TO DISPERSE CHEMICALS UNCERTAIN AS TO THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND CRASHED IN TREES. SUBSEQUENT RUN-UP OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE WAS SUCCESSFUL WITH NORMAL INDICATIONS AT 65% POWER FOR FIVE MINUTES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL05CA003Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportEutaw, ALThe pilots inadequate preflight planning of fuel required for the flight that resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power.Oct 14, 2004 · Substantial damage